Actor-producer, Tom Cruise, is an international superstar, heartthrob of millions and is a recipient of numerous awards. The Mission: Impossible star has been one of the most bankable and versatile Hollywood actors since 1980s. Interestingly, he once aspired to be a priest but is now amongst the highest paid actors in the world.
Amongst the best actors of his generation, Robert De Niro is known for his exceptional method acting skills. His formidable acting talent has impressed audience and critics alike in movies like Mean Streets, The Godfather Part II and Meet the Parents. The talented actor has also been applauded for his directorial skills in A Bronx Tale and The Good Shepherd.
Considered one of the greatest actors, Al Pacino gained wide acclaim and recognition for his portrayal of Michael Corleone in the movie, The Godfather in 1972. He’s been a part of many successful and iconic films and won an Oscar for playing a blind military veteran in the movie Scent of a Woman. Pacino has three children, but has never been married.
Actor, director, and producer, Denzel Washington, is famous for portraying strong real-life characters like anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko, and human rights activist, Malcolm X, in films. Well-built and ruggedly handsome, he became the first black star to be named the Sexiest Man Alive in 1996.
Actor and director, Mel Gibson is famous for action films like Lethal weapon. His directorial venture, Braveheart, in which he acted too, won him the Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture. However, his alcoholism issues, drunken driving arrest and his anti-Jew statements landed him in trouble due to which he took a hiatus from Hollywood for a decade.
The quintessential American action hero of the 1950s, Kirk Douglas remained one of the most bankable stars of Hollywood throughout the decade. Regarded as one of the greatest actors of classic Hollywood cinema, Kirk Douglas was a man of many talents. Also known as a writer and philanthropist, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981.
Christopher Walken is one of the highest-grossing American actors as his films have generated over $1 billion in the US alone. He has a unique distinction of appearing in over 100 films and TV programs. A man of many talents, Christopher Walken is also known for his comedic, singing, screenwriting, directing, and dancing skills.
Humphrey Bogart is considered one of the greatest Hollywood actors and a legend. His filmography includes classics such as Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, To Have and Have Not, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, In a Lonely Place and The Caine Mutiny. He won Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1951 film The African Queen.
A veteran actor who has been active in Hollywood for almost six decades, Jon Voight is the recipient of one Academy Award and four Golden Globe Awards. Coming to prominence in the late 1960s with several critically acclaimed roles, he went through a lean phase before resurrecting his career. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2019.
One of the legendary American actors, screenwriters and directors, Sylvester Stallone is best known for his iconic performance in Rocky and Rambo film series and later in the The Expendables film franchise. Amongst the biggest action stars in the world, Stallone had a tough childhood and did a variety of jobs before eventually making it big in the film industry.
Actor, comedian, and filmmaker, Adam Sandler, is best known for his comedic roles in Hollywood movies. Despite being a popular actor he also has the ignominious distinction of having appeared in numerous widely panned movies and is the holder of three Golden Raspberry Awards! He has released a few comedy albums as well.
Actor and comedian, Eddie Murphy, is one of the highest-grossing actors in the United States. Beginning his career as a comedian on the TV show Saturday Night Live, he went on to become a bankable movie actor. Also a singer, he has released many studio albums. He has been awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
From being a child artist for various commercials to becoming one of the youngest actors to be nominated for the prestigious Academy Award for Best Actor, Timothée Chalamet has achieved much during his short career till now. He shot to fame with the movies Call Me by Your Name and Lady Bird; however, before these he also appeared in the TV series, Homeland, and the movie, Interstellar.
Born to veteran actor Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen began acting at an early age and later became a big star with movies like Platoon and Wall Street and television shows like Spin City and Two and a Half Men. The actor has also been in news for his alcoholism, drug abuse issues and violent behaviour towards women in his life.
The son of a popular actor, Jason Bateman was exposed to Hollywood at a young age and decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. He began acting as a teenager and matured as an actor over the years, taking up a variety of roles. He made his feature film directorial debut in 2013.
Best known for directing movies like the Iron Man, Chef, The Jungle Book and The Lion King, Jon Favreau began by performing at improvisational theatre and later made his acting debut with film Rudy. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous films and television shows but it is his work as a filmmaker that has brought him much fame.
American actor, Stanley Tucci, is known for a string of supporting roles that he’s played in many films since his debut in the 1985 film Prizzi's Honor. Some of his notable movies are Deconstructing Harry, Road to Perdition, The Terminal, The Devil Wears Prada, Julie & Julia and The Hunger Games film series.
One of the most popular comedic actors of his generation, Ben Stiller is part of the famous group The Frat Pack – he has been described as the leader of the group, which involves names like Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson and Steve Carell. A popular and successful actor, his movies have grossed over $2.6 billion in the USA and Canada.
Christopher Reeve had a flying start to his acting career as he played the iconic Superman in four films. Unfortunately, he became a quadriplegic after suffering an accident at an equestrian competition. Despite the setback, he continued contributing to the film industry and also founded the Christopher Reeve Foundation as part of his charitable work.
David Harbour is a successful actor popular for playing important roles in superhero films, such as Suicide Squad and Hellboy. Despite struggling with bipolar disorder and alcohol addiction in his 20s, David Harbour fought against all odds to become a well-established actor in the American film industry.
Danish-American actor, Viggo Mortensen, is best known for portraying the role of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Some of his other films are A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic and Green Book. He is also an author of various books on poetry, photography and painting.
Emilio Estevez is known for acting in movies like The Mighty Ducks, The Breakfast Club and Repo Man as well as Bobby and The Public, the last two of which he also wrote and directed. One of the members of 1980s Brat Pack group of actors, he has also directed television shows like CSI: NY and appeared in music videos.
David Schwimmer is best known for portraying the role of Ross Geller in the hugely popular and successful American television series, Friends, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. He has also worked in films like Kissing a Fool, Apt Pupil, Picking up the Pieces and The Iceman.
From working as a full-time firefighter to becoming one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, Steve Buscemi has quite an interesting story to narrate. His character from the satirical sitcom TV series, 30 Rock ,became an internet meme, making him famous all over the world. In addition to being an actor, he has also directed and produced many movies.
Best known for playing the iconic character of Sonny Corleone in the movie, The Godfather, James Caan is a practising martial artist, apart from being an actor and director. He has trained under Japanese-American master of karate, Takayuki Kubota, for almost 30 years. For his contributions to arts, he was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Ralph Macchio is best known for his role in three Karate Kid films and Cobra Kai, a sequel television series. The Outsiders, Eight Is Enough, My Cousin Vinny, Crossroads, Ugly Betty and Hitchcock are some of his other notable films. He’s also been part of some TV projects and took part in the reality television show Dancing with the Stars.
American actor Matthew Broderick has starred in more than 50 films since the 1980s and has also acted in several television shows and theater production. Some of his notable films are War Games, The Cable Guy, Godzilla, The Producers, Finding Amanda and Manchester by the Sea. He was involved in a car crash in 1987 in which two persons were killed.
One of the most popular actors of his generation, Michael Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide on 22 occasions, the most for an actor and second only to Lucille Ball. Also a singer and director, Landon had a major impact on the film industry, so much so that a community building was named after him following his demise.
Counted amongst the most influential stand-up comedians, George Carlin was known for his dark comedy. His comedy routine, Seven Dirty Words, was hugely controversial and played a critical role in Supreme Court’s ruling to censor offensive material on broadcast media. In his career, he released many comedy albums, starred in 14 HBO special, authored books and acted in numerous films.
Adrien Brody is best known for his Academy Award-winning performance as Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman in The Pianist. He also invited controversy for kissing Halle Berry on stage. Fans loved him in the Wes Anderson films The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel, and the series Peaky Blinders.
James Cagney was an American dancer and actor who won the Academy Award for his performance in the 1942 musical, Yankee Doodle Dandy. In 1984, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to the entertainment industry. In 1999, he was named in the American Film Institute's Greatest Male Stars of the Classical Hollywood Cinema list.
Chad Michael Murray is an American actor who started his career as a fashion model, working for brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger and Gucci. Murray overcame his tough childhood and went on to establish himself as an actor. Also a writer, he co-authored a romantic thriller novel with Heather Graham, which was inspired by a dream!
Vincent D'Onofrio is an American actor, director, and producer. Apart from playing important roles in popular films, such as Men in Black and Jurassic World, Vincent D'Onofrio is also renowned for his work off-stage. He is credited with co-founding the RiverRun International Film Festival, which continues to showcase best movies offered from the international and independent industry.
A Harvard alumnus and a Fulbright scholar, John Lithgow began his career with Broadway and later also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Known for his Emmy-winning performances in 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dexter, and The Crown, Lithgow is also an American Theater Hall of Fame inductee.
Christian Slater serves as an inspiration to many people who are trying to live sober. For someone who had difficulties with alcoholism and substance abuse, Christian Slater has come a long way as he now solely focuses on his career as an actor, producer, and voice actor. He also focuses on charity work.
Kevin James’s performance as Doug in The King of Queens earned him an Emmy Award nomination. He was active in wrestling and football in school and is also known for delivering the 2007 Pepsi 400 NASCAR command. He has also voiced characters in films such as the Hotel Transylvania series.
David Duchovny is best known for his Golden Globe-winning roles of FBI Agent Fox Mulder in the sci-fi series The X-Files and Hank Moody in Californication. He is an environment enthusiast and advocates for the use of electric cars. He has released music albums, written books, and recorded audiobooks.
Ron Perlman went on to become a successful actor and voice actor despite suffering from low self-image during his formative years. Apart from being active as an actor, Ron Perlman is also actively involved in the political affairs of the United States. His criticisms directed towards President Donald Trump have inspired a series of internet memes.
Popular American stage and screen actor, Paul Dano is recognised for his performances in films like Little Miss Sunshine, L.I.E., There Will Be Blood and Love & Mercy as well as television miniseries Escape at Dannemora. The versatile actor, who began his career on stage as a child artist, has also ventured into direction and scriptwriting with the movie Wildlife.
Tony Curtis was an American actor who achieved the height of his fame in the 1950s and 1960s in a career spanning six decades. Also a well-known philanthropist, Tony Curtis helped fund the rebuilding of the Great Synagogue in Hungary. In 1998, he founded a non-profit organization called Emanuel Foundation for Hungarian Culture, which works towards the restoration of synagogues.
Veteran actor Jerry Stiller had an extensive six-decade-long career in the entertainment industry. He began performing comedy with his wife, Anne Meara, in the 1960s and soon started acting in films and TV shows as well. His son, Ben Stiller, is also an actor, and the two had appeared in many films together.